Shoe heel



Aug.'29, 1944.

V. P. WILLIAMS SHOE HEEL Filed Dec. 2, 1943 Patented Aug. 29, 1944 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHOE HEEL vinti r. wiuiams, Chicago, nl. Application December 2, 1943, Serial No. 512,589

(ol. 36;-38) i 11 Claims.

This invention relates to shoe heels and more particularly to a spring cushion heel. Its principal object being tov provide' cushioning means between a conventional leather heel and a spring sheet metal stamped into form, said spring member being connected at one end to one of the members, so that it will yield when the weight of the wearer of the shoe presses upon the thread member of the heel.

Another object of this invention is to incorporate into the heel of a shoe such yielding means that will cushion andk absorb the jars and shocks to the spinal cord of the body incident to walking but particularly during long distance trips on foot when such spring heel is adapted on boots and shoes to military uses.

Another object of this invention relates to the use 'of this device as a shock absorbing heel when the pilot of a plane descends upon the ground and further provides a measure of protection against slipping with both elasticity and positiveness.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a self-contained and wholly detachable spring heel that can be attached to both new and old shoes within a few minutes and which requires a minimum of time and eliort to have the tread lift removed and replaced by a new tread lift when it has become worn in use.

This and such other objects as may hereafter appear are attained by the novel construction and arrangement of component parts to be hereinafter specifically described and claimed.

Reference will now be had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, wherein:

Fig. l is a sideelevation of the exterior of the normal spring heel with the tread lift, projecting at an angle,

n Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the tread showing the horseshoe slit that facilitates the free movement of the spring element in co-action with the tongue of the tread lift,

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a plan view of centre members set between the base-member of the heel and the tread lift with a large opening provided therein for the free movement of the spring element,

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the base-member of the heel in conjunction with the spring element riveted thereon,

Fig. 6 is a section-on line I--S of Fig. 5,

Fig. 7 is a plan View of the spring element,

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the back-up element set between the spring finger and the base-memberas shown in Fig. 3.

f Referring 4to the drawing there is illustrated a spring heel Fig. 1 formed of any suitable material such as metal, plastic, rubber or leather, said spring heel embodying base-member I, to which the spring element isattached; it embodies centre member 2 that provides the required height to a shoe heel, and the tread lift 3 with its tongue 3a shown in its normal angular position, same being confined in part within the peripheral flange 4d of the spring element 4. Tread lift 3 shown in Fig. 2 is provided with a slit 5 shaped in the form of na horseshoe cut sufliciently wide to facilitate uninterrupted up and down movement of the flange 4d of the spring element 4 when the latter is depressed under the pressure of walking. Tongue l3a is formed out of the-tread Y lift 3 as a result of the slit 5. The same is intendedto be partly confined within the depth of the flange 4d and directly on top of the wedge filler I2 being cemented thereon or in some other manner securely fastened thereon, to prevent the edge of the tongue 3a from closing up slit 5 when the material of the tread vmember 3 gets Wet or otherwise damaged. As shown in Fig. 3 flange 4d of the spring element 4 provides a protective wall within the slit 5 of the tread member 3. Tongue 3a, of the tread member 3 is further provided with three steel plates 6 moon-shape-like or of any variety of shapes and directions, and may be of any desired number, securely fastened thereon to provent premature wear to the edge of the tongue 3b from continuous Wear of the spring heel. The body portionof the tread lift 3 is provided with a plurality of nail receiving holes I as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 for securely fastening the heel to the rear of the outer sole of the shoe. In Figs. 3 and 6 the back part of the base-member I is scoured concave-like as at 8 in order to give it true alignment with the conventional convex surface of the rear outer sole of a shoe to which the heel is attached. In Fig. 3 spring element 4 is shown securely fastened to the bottom of the base-member I by means of either screws various fastenings but preferably rivets as shown at 9 in Figs. 5 and 6 for which purpose holes I4 are shown in Fig. 7. Struck out of the body portion of spring element 4 is a bowed spring nger or cushion element 4a. Said spring linger 4a *has sliding contact 4b with the bottom la of the base-member I. Peripheral flange 4d which is formed out of the body portion of spring element 4 is shaped to conform with the horseshoe slit 5 of tread lift 3 and is uniform in width throughout said flange 4d. Said ange 4d ex,- tends upwardly through the horseshoe slit 5 when the spring heel is fully assembled as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The broadened portion I0 of the spring element 4 is bent upward and backward to provide a spring-like action and to form an elastic fulcrum 4c as shown in Fig. 3 in addition to the co-action of the spring finger 4a when the wearer has the heel under compression.l If the wearer of the shoes equipped with my spring heels is a light weighty person the spring finger 4a would suffice to absorb the shock, but in the case where the wearer is a heavy weighty person both the spring finger IIa and the bent up portion I would cooperate with each other of the combined co-actions to produce the necessary shock absorbing action. I-Ioles shown in the body p0rtion and designated as 4e of the spring element 4 shown in Fig. '7 are provided for the fasteners that properly secure in place Wedgeller I2 same may be made of either rubber, plastic or leather. Wedge ller I2 shown in Fig. 3 may be made to be in thickness almost to the height of the flange 4d of the spring element 4. Its purpose being to provide a retaining support and to hold at an elevated angle tongue 3a same being securely fastened to the wedge filler I2. Back-up member II shown in Fig. 8 is attached beneath the sliding Contact 4b of the spring nger 4a and it is held in place securely by the spring pressure of spring finger 4a bearing against the bottom Ia of the base-member I to prevent spring ngers sliding contact from biting or settling into the bottom Ia of the base-member I. member II cannot get away from its fixed position once base-member I and centre member 2 are glued together in the courseof building the heel for its proper assembly. The large opening I5 in the centre member 2 as shown in Fig. 4 is intended to provide free up and down movement to the spring element 4, While the exterior of said centre member 2 provides the necessary height for the building up of the heel to the standard of requirements. Normally spring element 4 tends to force out tongue 3a to protrude at an angle same being at the rear portion of the heel. Thus Aas the wearer of the/shoe walks tongue 3a is compressed to its full limit at each step against the resistance of the spring element 4 at 4a and 4c said tongue 3a returning to its normal angular position as the wearer lifts his foot off the ground. Flange 4d of the spring element 4 offers the added advantage in that it serves to ward off entrance of grit or dirt, etc., into the slit 5 of tread member 3. y

While the term spring nger has been utilized it is within the intent of my invention to utilize one or more spring fingers that may separate from said body portion and which if found practical may be used thereto in any desired manner as by spot welding or riveting or by any method that may prove practical, which construction is deemed to be the mechanical equivalent of the struck out of one or more so-called spring ngers. The terms flange 4d or the spring element 4 shown formed out of the body portion of the spring element 4, it is the intent of my invention to utilize, if found practical, a detachable flange to said spring element 4 which may be secured thereto in any desired manner as by spot welding or riveting or by' any method that may prove practical, which construction is deemed to be the mechanical equivalent of the formed ange normally integral withthe body portion of the Said back-up f spring element itself.

In actual use as the heel becomes worn, instead of replacing the entire heel section, all that would be required in this case would be the replacement of tread member 3. The pulling off of the tread member 3 by the Shoemaker would not interfere with the connection of the upper two lifts I and 2 or spring element 4 provided of course if the wearer has not worn out the heel beyond repair of the centre member 2, in which case, a new heel would have to replace the one worn out.

This spring heel will also prove invaluable if attached to shoes worn by parachutists. Its advantages are ysuch to greatly increase the physical benefits over any other type of heel either rigid or elastic. Despite its outstanding advantages its cost of manufacture is slightly higher over any other type heel.

Various changes may be made in details of construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

I claim:

l. In a heel for shoes, the combination with a heel of a spring metal plate provided in part with outwardly projecting ange, the front end of said spring plate securely fastened to the adjacent member, and one o-r more spring fingers projecting inwardly beneath the surface of the same and depending therefrom.

2. In a heel for shoes, the combination with a heel of a spring metal plate provided in part with outwardly projecting flange, the front end of said spring plate securely fastened to the adjacent member, one or more spring ngers projecting inwardly beneath the surface of the same and depending therefrom, a broadened portion of its front end bent-up in the form of a spring fulcrum to permit upward and downward movement of said spring plate.

3. An improved spring attachment for the purpose specified, comprising the spring heel plate, the latter provided in part with outwardly projecting flange, the front end of said spring plate securely fastened to the adjacent member, one or more spring fingers projecting inwardly beneath the surface of the same and depending therefrom, and means for fastening the broadened portion of said spring plate to the coacting element.

4.. The combination with a spring heel for shoes, comprising a spring heel plate, the latter provided in part with outwardly projecting flange, the front end of said spring plate securely fastened to the adjacent member, one or more spring fingers projecting inwardly beneath the surface of the same and depending therefrom, means for fastening the broadened portion of said spring plate to the coacting element, a filler element mounted within the anged portion of the spring metal plate, means on said spring plate to securely hold in place the filler element.

5. The combination with a spring heel for shoes as set forth inclaim 4, a gouge or base member provided with fastening means across its Width at the breast to securely holdin place a coacting element.

6. The combination with a spring heel for shoes as set forth in claim 4, a gouge or base member provided with fastening means across its width at the breast to securely hold in place afcoacting element, a back-upor Wear element mounted beneath the spring metal plate.

7. The combination with a spring heel for shoes as set forth in claim 4, a. gouge or Vbase member provided with fastening means across its Width fat the breast to securely hold in place a coact- 'ing element, a back-up or wear element mounted beneath the spring metal plate, and a centre ller member provided with a large opening seated on the adjacent element.

8. The combination with a spring heel for shoes as set forth in claim 4, a gouge or base member provided with fastening means across its Width at the breast to securely hold in place a coacting element, a back-up or Wear element mounted beneath the spring metal plate, a centre filler member provided with a large opening seated on the adjacent element, and a top lift member formed with an oval slitto coact in guiding relation With the edge of said flange of the spring metal plate.

9. The combination with a spring heel for shoes as set forth in claim 4, a gouge or base member provided with fastening means across its Width at the breast to securely hold in place a coacting element, a back-up or Wear element mounted beneath the spring metal plate,-a centre ller member provided with a large opening seated on the adjacent element, a top lift member formed with an oval slit to coact in guiding relation with the edge of said flange of the spring metal plate,

of the top lift member being provided With some variety, shapes and number of steel plates.

11. The combination with a spring heel for shoes as set forth in claims 4 and 9, the tongue of the top lift member being provided With some variety, shapes and number of steel plates, and fastenings of thevtop lift member to the connecting elements, a connection between the central portion of said spring plate and the central portion of thevheel coaoting to hold the spring plate and its connecting element in proper position, and to hold the spring plate With its rear end spaced from the rear end portion of the recess, but freely movable toward and from the same.

VILLOR P. WILLIAMS 

